Fire-escape



(No Model.)

x L. A'QH. EN GE LKE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Sept. 12,1893.

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEOPOLD A. H. ENGELKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,868, datedSeptember 12, 1893.

Application filed May 4,1393. Eterial No. 472,968. (No model.)

It; all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LLnoPoLD A. H. ENGELKE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention has relation to fire-escape appliances; and it relates moreparticularly to the construction and arrangement of such a device of thegeneral class designated as portable devices or appliances for effectingthe escape with safety from burning structures.

The principal objects of my invention are first, to provide afire-escape which is simple, durable, inexpensive, safe and efiective inac tion; second, to provide a fire-escape which may be readily connectedwith a rope or similar article for effecting an escape from a burnq ingstructure; third, to provide a portable fire-escape deviceso constructedand arranged as that rapidity of movement of the same in connection witha rope or similar article is controlled by the person in descentsuspended from the device; and fourth, to providea portable fire-escapedevice detachably connected with a rope or similar article andcontrolled thereby as to the rapidity of movement of the device in apersons descent sus pended therefrom and the device provided with meansfor supporting therefrom a body belt or sling in such manner as toequalize friction on the working parts of the device against the rope orother article and to lessen strain on the arms of the person in descentfrom an elevated structure.

My invention consists of a portablefire-escape device provided withhandles and staggored clips, staples or prongs and having a springcontrolled hook and loop for the reception of a body sling or belt and adangerline.

My invention further consists of the improvements in fire-escapeappliances hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and general features of my in- I vention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which=- Figure 1, is aperspective view of a fire-escape embodying the features of my inventionin application to aburning building and illustrating the mode of escapeand descent of persons therefrom by the use of such an applian ce. Figs.2 and 3, are perspective views of the portable fire-escape device,showing respectively the construction and arrangement of the front andrear thereof; and Fig. 4, is a similar view of a body-belt or sling witheyes or loops for attachment to the spring controlled hook of the deviceand for supporting a parcel from a sling or belt suitably attachedthereto.

Referringto the drawings a, is a building provided with a staple orscrew-eye 17, secured to thewood-work orother portion of the buildingadjacent to or above an exit, as a window of the building.

a, is a rope or similararticle attached to the screw-eye or staple b.

D, is the fire-escape device, comprising a rectangular block or bar ofwood or other suitable material d, provided with transversegripping-arms or handles (1 and 01*, disposed preferably at or near thetop and bottom of the block or bar (1.

e, is a series of angular hooks, clips, staples or prongs, arranged, instaggered form and suitably secured into and projecting from the blockor bar d, for engaging the rope or similar article 0, in order to permitof the descent of a person or persons from a burning building.

f, is a spring controlled snap or similar hook secured to one side ofthe block at, for .engaging the eyes g and 9 of a body belt or sling g,provided with a ring or eye g pivotally connected with the belt or slingg, for attaching in any preferred manner a parcel or person so as tohang therefrom and to be sup ported at or about the back of the persondescending the rope or similar article 0, from the burning building bymeans of the device D, constituting the means of my invention foreffecting an escape from a burning building.

it, is an inverted U-shaped staple preferably screwed to the rear faceof the device D,

for attaching thereto a rope designated a danger-line h, in order topermit of the descent of persons from a burning building with safetybeyond the reach of the issuing flames from the building in the mannerfor example, illustrated in Fig. 1, of the drawlngs.

To any suitable part of the body of a person to descend from a buildingmay be attached belts or slings 'i, for permitting one person indescending from the upper portion of a building to support one or moreother persons or parcels either from the shoulders or body and in suchmanner as to afford a safe escape beyond the range of the burningstructure.

The mode of operation of the device hereinbefore described, is asfollows: The rope or similar article to be provided with a snaphook atone end thereof is attached to the screw-eye b, suitably secured to theframework of the building about the wood-work of the windows thereof andin case of fire, the rope is thrown to the street, and the upper portionthereof is then applied to the grip block or bar d, provided with theseries of hooks, angular clips, staples or prongs e, for example, in themanner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the body belt or sling g, iscaused to be engaged at the rings or loops 9' and 9 with the springcontrolled hook f. The danger-line h, by means of a snap hook, notshown, connected therewith, is attached to the inverted U- shaped stapleh, and held by a person from the streetin the manner illustrated in Fig.1, when the person to descend grips one of the transverse arms of thedevice with the right hand and with the other hand in engagement withanother of the transverse arms having the rope c, coiled around the sameone or more times for regulating the rapidity of descent as theexigencies of the case demand or require. The body-belt or sling g,tends to equalize the strain on the person as well as to lessen thefriction and resistance of the working parts of the device against therope in the descent of the person from the building. The sling orbody-belt g, may be provided with a series of attaching loops in orderthat parcels or persons suspended therefrom may be safely delivered froma burning structure bya person in descent therefrom, because the weightof the person suspended is fully compensated for by the belt g, in itsconnection with the device, leaving both arms practically free to affordwith the least amount of strain, either a rapid or moderate descent,because with simply one hand in engagement with one of thetransverse-arms of the device, the other is free to control the rapidityof descent, according to the number of times the rope is coiled aroundthe other or left hand portion of one of the transverse arms of thedevice D.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fire escape device, comprising an oblong block or bar provided withtop and bottom transverse gripping handles, angular hooks or prongssecured into said block or bar and disposed in staggered position and asupported rope detachably engaging with said hooks or prongs,substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A fire escape device, comprising a rectangular block or bar providedwith top and bottom gripping handles, a series of angular hooks orprongs secured into said blook or bar and disposed in staggered positionwith respect to each other, a rope detachably engaging therewith, aspring controlled hook secured to one surface of said block or bar anddetachably engaging a body belt or sling provided with a ring, and aloop secured to said block or bar for detachably engaging a danger linetherewith, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwosubscribing witnesses.

LEOPOLD A. H. ENGELKE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS M. SMITH, RICHARD O. MAXWELL.

